M23 rebels recapture town in eastern Congo as peace talks stall

KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo

M23 rebels on Sunday recaptured the town of Shoa in Democratic Republic of Congo’s North Kivu province after clashes with pro-government forces, residents said.

Shoa, located in Masisi territory, had briefly fallen under the control of the Congolese army and allied Wazalendo militia on Saturday before the rebels struck back.

“We are now under the authority of the M23 rebels, who attacked early this Sunday and forced out the Wazalendo who had been here since Saturday,” resident Steven Bwema told Anadolu.

The area was calm on Sunday after heavy exchanges of fire the previous day.

Masisi has been a flashpoint for more than three months as rebels and pro-government fighters vie for control. The territory is rich in gold, cobalt, and tantalum, minerals that have long helped finance armed groups.

Congo and a coalition of rebel groups, including the M23, signed a ceasefire deal in July in Doha, Qatar, known as the Declaration of Principles. But fighting has escalated despite the ongoing political negotiations.

Kinshasa, the UN, and Western governments accuse neighboring Rwanda of backing M23, an allegation Kigali denies.

Last week, M23-allied Twigwaneho rebels fought Wazalendo militia supported by the army in the villages of Mi’enge, Rukezi, and Minembwe.

Congolese army spokesperson Gen. Sylvain Ekenge on Saturday condemned a wave of attacks by M23/AFC fighters on army positions in North and South Kivu, calling them a “blatant violation of the Washington peace agreements and the Doha Declaration of Principles,” which were meant to bring stability to eastern Congo.